A letter to William Smellie, M.D., containing critical and practical remarks upon his Treatise on the theory and practice of midwifery / By John Burton, M.D. Wherein the various gross mistakes and dangerous methods of practice mentioned and recommended by that writer, are fully demonstrated. And generally corrected.

  • Burton, John, 1710-1771.
Date:
MDCCLIII. [1753]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to William Smellie, M.D., containing critical and practical remarks upon his Treatise on the theory and practice of midwifery / By John Burton, M.D. Wherein the various gross mistakes and dangerous methods of practice mentioned and recommended by that writer, are fully demonstrated. And generally corrected. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ ?o8 ] When the Head is left alone in the Wor^b and can¬ not be extraifled by any of the above-mentioned Me¬ thods, and muft be opened, you diredc the Operator («), ‘ to pufh up the Head, and turning the upper Part ‘ downwards, order an Affiftant to prefs the Patient’s * Belly with both Hands, moving them from Side to * Side, and fqeezing in fuch a Direcftion, as will force * the Head towards the Os Internum, and retain it ‘ firmly in that Pofition; then it muft be opened and ‘ extra&d, according to the Diredtions given m ^ Chap. iii. S^:ct. 7. Numb. 2, Pag. 299.’ It is abfolutely impoftible for a Patient to bear fuch ^ Preflure without the greateft Mifery and Pain,* as I be¬ fore took notice. Section 21. notwithftanding you have recommended this Method of Pradtice in feveral Places {w). For after fuch a tedious and bad Labour as above-mentioned, fhe’il not be able to bear, even tlie leaft Prefture without Pain ; and if fhe could, the Me¬ thod you propofe will neither anfwer the End fo cer¬ tainly, nor be fo fafe as by the Operator’s holding the Head faft in the proper Pofition^ by the Hand that is already introduced into the Womb, to pujh it up and, turn it rights as you diredf, as I ftiall demonftrate pre- fen tlv. ^ _ In the next Place, after a poor Patient has been tor¬ mented by feven or eight different Operations, after the Body and Plead of the Child were feparated, you put the Accoucheur upon torturing her with at leaft nine other Operations in opening and extradting the Head, as you diredl in Chap. iii. Sedt. 7. Numb. 2, Pag. 299. The Objedlions to which may be feen by looking back to Se(^. 21. All thefe may be avoided by following the Diredfions with my Extradlor, as given in my Ejfay [x). For when the Child’s Head js left alone in the Womb, whether the Head be large or fmall, or the Pelvis narrow or wide, or the Child [u] P. 369. (ay) P. 237, 299, 366. [x] Sed. IC7, P. 233. has